PV2GRID - A next generation grid side
converter with advanced control and
power quality capabilities
Elias Kyriakides
Associate Director, KIOS Research Center
Associate Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of Cyprus
elias@ucy.ac.cy
Presentation Outline
• University of Cyprus – KIOS Research Center
• The PV2Grid project
• Our capabilities and Solar-Era.Net Call IV
KIOS Research Center - Background
• KIOS Research Center for Intelligent Systems and Networks
• Founded in 2008
• The KIOS Research Center is part of the University of Cyprus
• Housed (mainly) at the KIOS Center Building (600 m2)
• Web site: www.kios.ucy.ac.cy
• About 70 researchers
 8 faculty members
 20 post-doctoral fellows
 40 Ph.D. students
 Several M.Sc. students and non-degree researchers
KIOS Research Center - Background
• The KIOS Research Center has participated in 54 research
projects since it was founded in 2008
• The Center currently has 31 active research projects (10.5M
euros share for the Center)
• The Center is funded completely from external sources (68%
of the funding is from EU instruments)
• Collaborations with over 150 organizations worldwide
• Focus: Monitoring, Control, and Security of Critical
Infrastructure systems
• One of the main threads: Electric power systems and
integration of renewable energy sources
The PV2Grid Project – Partners and Aim
A next generation grid side converter with
advanced control and power quality capabilities
 KIOS Research Center – University of Cyprus (Coordinator)
 Department of Energy Technology - Aalborg University
 Quantum Energy Corporation Ltd
 This project aims to advance the technology related to the
seamless grid integration of photovoltaic (PV) systems.
 Development of next generation power electronic Grid Side
Converters (GSC) with advanced capabilities and innovative
operational management approaches.
The PV2Grid Project – Objectives
• Design and develop new generation Grid Side Converters (GSCs)
equipped with advanced control capabilities and novel operational
mode approaches:




providing support to the grid when needed
enhancing the power system stability
improving the power quality of the grid
reducing the network losses
• Design new current controllers with advanced operational
capabilities under normal or abnormal voltage conditions.
• Develop experimental prototypes of GSCs including the current
control techniques, the PQ controllers and the scheduling algorithm.
• Design an optimal scheduling algorithm considering a dynamic
electricity-pricing environment and the presence of storage
(prosumer profit maximization).
The PV2Grid Project – Main outcomes
• Advanced next-generation GSC for PV systems with new power
operational management approach, extra functionalities,
capabilities, and long lifetime with reduced cost of energy.
• Improved overall performance of PV plants by ensuring their
efficient and effective grid integration under any grid conditions.
• A new multifunctional industrial product that will further assist
the grid integration of renewable energy sources.
• Advanced single- and three-phase current controllers for
enhancing the grid power quality by compensating the non-ideal
loads of the prosumer.
Architecture of the Proposed GSC
Added Functionalities and Timeline for Commercialization
Optimal Profit
Scheduling Module
grid
grid
ePV
(t )  estorage
(t )
load
load
ePV
(t )  estorage
(t )
Timeline and cost
benefit analysis for the
proposed GSC
KIOS Research Center – Our Capabilities
• Deep knowledge of power system operation (generation,
transmission, and distribution)
• Modeling and simulation capabilities of both the system and
renewable sources (including our custom-made steady state and
dynamic models of power system components and renewable
sources)
• Expertise in power electronics and grid side converters
• Fully equipped laboratories for testing and development
• Owning and operating a real size grid-connected microgrid
(rated at 200 kVA)
• Experience in leading both FP7 and H2020 projects
KIOS Research Center – Call PV4
• Mainly interested in PV4.3: Grid integration and large-scale
deployment of PV
• Can contribute to CSP4.2: Dispatchability through storage
and hybridisation
• Open to coordinate or participate in proposals in the fourth
call of Solar-Era.Net
Thank you!
Contact: elias@ucy.ac.cy
http://www.kios.ucy.ac.cy